Process for distilling coals



Nov; 11; 1930. w, EQ' RE T 1,781,614

PROCESS" FOR DIST'ILLING GOALS Filed Dec. 21'; 1925 awe-Lung carbonized par-ticlesare separated from the gases or volatilesand collected to be used as a the practice to drop pulverized coal over a'scending gases toretard the1r passage for Patented Nov. 11. 1930 UNITEDgSTATES PATENT OFFICE.

WA LTER EDWIN TRENT, or NEW'YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR'TO TRENT rnocass conroiza bonmaterials.

. The invention aims more particularly to-- provide a process'wherein finely pulverized- 'r'IoN, or NEW. YORK, N. Y A CORPORATION or DELAWARE rRocEss roe DISTILLING; coALs Applicatioii f led December 21, 1925. Serial No. 76,758.

The invention relates to a process for dlS-' tillin g comminuted coals and like hydrocarcoal is distilled to remove volatile matter therefrom in which a regulated'quantityof the finer particles-of the'coal become associated with. the volatilesand are consumed therewith while theremaining portion Of-the fuel or to be combined with other materials for use as a fuel.

' In the prior art I' am aware that-it has been period of time sufiicient to permit carbonization to take place. In these processes, however, it is intended that the coal particles should substantially all settle in the bottom of the distilling chamber to be used as a car.- bonized fuel; Theescaping gases 'thus are substantially-free of finely divided carbonized particles.

In accordance with my invention, I regulate the velocity of the gases passing through the.

\ distilling chamber and the size of the comminuted coal particlesso thata determined with other substances to provide a composite percentage of the finely divided coal particles are carried from the chamber with the gases or vapors producing a composite fuel for ultimate consumption, while the remaining particles in a carbonized form settle and are re.- moved for use as a solid fuel or for admixture fuel.

The invention isfparticularly applicable for the treatment of low volatile coals which have little by-product oil. With such coals the gases and volatile matter driven out carry a large percentage of the fine carbonized coal particles and may thus be conveyed to a boiler plant for consumption, while the remaining part of the comminuted' material settles out of the"gasesan-d is collected. By thus carry.-

ing away in the gases a definite percentage of the fine, carbonized material a boiler fuel of great value can be produced with low volatile jcoals.

The, process can be carried out various types of apparatus, but in the figure of the drawings I have shown diagrammatically one type of apparatus, WhichI have successfully employed. v Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a combustion chamber which is shown as being horizontally disposed having the interior com- .bustion area 2 surrounded by as'piral passageway 3 to which coldair is introduced from' a blower .4; through the line 5.' This blower is operated'at variable speeds, depend ing upon what velocity it is desired that the air pass through the spiral passageway 3. Fromthe spiral passageway 3 the air passes through a line 6 tea burner 7. Here the i'a'ir mixes with finely pulverized coal dis-J charging from the feedbin 8 throughtlie'i screw conveyor 9' into the downwardly ex tending pipe 10. This coal may be of any desired mesh, ranging from 100 to 200 meshes per linear inch. The air is so regulated that that degree of combustion occurs in the combustiou chamberto produce sufiicient heat to drive the volatiles from the bulk'of the finely divided coal and to carbonize these particles.

This distillation-occurs during the passage of the material through the distillin -zone 2 of the combustion chamber. It will be understood that the airis under a substantial velocity which is, of course, increased by the jet in the burner 7 and that this velocity serves to carry the finely carbonized particles with the gases from the combustion chamber 3 through the linell to theseparator 12.

This separator has an inlet 13 at its upper end into which the" gases carrying carbonized particles are discharged. The velocity of these gases is so-regulated by the blower that when entering thejseparator' a certain percentage of finely carbonized particles pass out through the linel4 to a boiler for consumption as a fuel, while the remaining porfuel.

In carrying out the pi'ocess I may treat .CQals' ofva'rying characters. The process, however, isfhl-ghly applicable forthe treatment of coals having a low volatile content,

such as Pocahontas, New River and other sem -anthracites, permltting the simultaneous production of an efficient boiler fuel and a mass of solid carbonaceous material for any desired use. The percentageof carbonized materialpassing with the gases to the boiler may vary. This percentage is dependent upon the velocity of the gases passing through the combustion chamber. I may at times'dischargefrom the separator in-the gases approximately 30 percent of the'fuel,

while the remaining portion of the charge is cleanly separated inv the separator or dust collector from, the gases and is collected as carbonized coalfor use or further treatment.

;This proportion that travelswith the gases may vary, depending upon the'character of the fuel needed for the boiler'plant. For instance, I .have found it often to be desirable to usehalf of the fuel in the form of gases,

vapors and carbonized particles as a boiler. fuel, while the remaining portion' of the fuel .is recovered as solid carbonizedparticles, In

I treating the coal in the combustion chamber a temperature of from 500.F. to 1500 may be maintained. This temperature will vary, depending upon the type of coal used and the quantityofvolatiles it contains.

It will furthermore be understood that various types of apparatus canbe .used for carrying out thisprocess. -In lieu of the horizontal chamber, as shown in the drawings, I can drop the finely divided coal into a vertically movingcurrent of gas, the velocfuel consisting of carbonized'coa-l particles" which is separated cleanly from the gases.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is: 1. In a distillation process comprising introducing finely 'comm'inuted coal to a moving stream of combustion supporting gas, in effecting a sufficient partial combustion of said coal in the gas to generate sufficient heatto remove volatiles from and carbonize the comminuted coal, in separatingthe carbonized coal-particles by discharging a portion of thellghter carbonized articles in suspension in the gasstream an withdrawing the remaining portion of such carbonized particles substantially undiluted by gas.

2. A distillation process consisting in effectlng a sufficient partial combustion of finely divided'coal in a combustion supportmg stream of ga's'to generate sufficient heat to remove volatiles from the coal and leave the same in the .form of carbonized particles,

in effecting a separation of a portion of the carbonized particles from the remainder thereof by discharging a-substantial' quan-. tity ofthe'lighter carbonized particles in suspension inthe stream of gas while separately removing the remaining portion of carbonized particles substantially undiluted by said gases. I

3. A 'uel producingprocess which com-' prises introducing finely divided coal to a heating zone-and heating the same therein sufficiently tocause combustion of the amount of coal necessary torernove volatiles therefrom. and to Carbonize the coal, discharging the carbonized co'alifrom said zone in suspension with the volatiles, separating only a portion of the carbonized coal from, the suspens ion,and collecting the separated carbonized'coal substantially free of volatiles.

4. A fuel producing process which comprises passing finely divided coal thru a heating zone .under sufficient velocity to maintain the'same in suspension in said zone and subjecting the coal therein to' distillation and carbonization conditions by combustion of a portion of the finelyv divided coal thereby forming volatiles and carbonized coa'l particles, discharging the-volatiles and carbonized coal particles from said zone under sufficient velocity to maintain the latter in suspension, separating only a portion'of said particles from the suspension, andcollecting the separated particles substantially free of volatiles. 5. A fuel producing process which com- "prises forcing finely pulverized coal and combustion-supporting gas thru a heating zo'ne under sufficient velocity to maintain the coal partlcles in suspension in the gas,

substantially devolatilizing and carbonizing the coal by heat obtained from combustion of a portion thereof, separating only a portion of thecarbonized particles from the suspension, and collecting the separated particles substantially free of gas.

6. A fuel producing process which com-' prises forcing finely pulverized coal and combustion-supporting gas thru a heating zone under sufficient velocity to maintain the coal particles in suspension in the gas, burning a sufficient portion of the suspended coal in said zone to effect substantial carbonization of the remainingsuspended coal, separating only a portion of the'carbonized'par' ticles from the suspension, and collecting the separated particles substantially free, of

gas. v

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

WALTER EDWIN TRENT. 

